The Dwellers of the City and the Keepers of the Land
by The Lady Arturia
Summary: A powerful wizard dies. A city is born from his magic. Time passes. A prophecy is told. A mysterious redhead appears. The guardians of the land attempt to investigate her. A sudden attack creates disarray. An unlikely duo sets off on a dangerous mission to find hidden truths and fulfil the prophecy. A fantasy-themed Jily AU.


**A/n: In this AU, character ages are different than in canon. James is around 15, Lily is around 16, and Remus, Sirius, and Peter are older, here. Although there are some concepts that are derived from the Potterverse (that are fairly obvious within the story), most of everything else is original or inspired by the fantasy genre. This may be a two- or three-shot, and the plot progresses fairly quickly simply due to how much information I'm trying to cram into as few words as possible, so apologies if it's a bit jarring.**

**Also, I've tried to stick to their canonical personalities as well as I can, but they may seem OOC at times simply because the world they are in and the lives they have led here are very different to HP canon (especially Lily, because her mysterious past is what determines her personality, but I've stayed true to several character traits like her love for knowledge and learning and how capable and skilful she is). **

* * *

_**The Dwellers of the City and the Keepers of the Land**_

* * *

.prologue.

_There is a legend from the days of yore that tells the tale of a vast but barren land and a powerful wizard lying in its midst, on the brink of death. With his final breath, the wizard casts a spell—one that would deliquesce his ravaged body and return it to the earth—but the earth, so arid as it were, unable to absorb his life force, returns his magic to the land. _

_So, his blood flows like water, and the magic from his veins heals the earth, breathing life into every crevice and spreading warmth through every crack. The River, born from the remnants of his will, bestows the land with the gift of life, but curses it to be forever trapped within its enchanted embankments. _

_When the winds grow stronger and bring with it debris from the lands beyond, the first seeds are sown. The River's enchanted waters breathe life into two prolific saplings, giving rise to magnificent twin oaks—one on each bank. And under each tree, as life slowly sprouts, two tribes are born: the Dwellers of the City and the Keepers of the Land. _

_The River bestows the Dwellers with a forever home and the means for sustenance, and they promise to return from whence they came as their life force draws near its end. The Keepers protect the River and the land from extraneous forces, and in turn, the River allows them sovereignty within its reach. Thus, creatures of magic dwell in peace, within the protected walls of the wizard's spell, and the guardians born of the same magic live in solitude, protecting the sanctity of the River and its land. _

"And that is how the story goes." The Seer finishes her monologue with tear-filled eyes, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

The breathless silence of her awestruck audience continues for a moment longer as they wait with bated breath, wanting more, _needing _more. The Seer suddenly claps her hands, and the children startle back to life, the spell broken, and mutter amongst themselves.

"That is all for today, children. Run along, now!"

The children move as one, pouring out of the gazebo as they continue to whisper excitedly amongst themselves, the ethereal light of the No-Moon night lighting up their eager faces. The Seer smiles to herself. If nobody else, at least the children of the City still listen to her.

"Sybill."

The Seer stiffens at the sombre tone of the familiar voice. She looks over her shoulder, teeth clenched. "Minerva," she sighs. "How may I help you?"

Two cat-like eyes glimmer from the shadows, and with the rustle of cloth and a soft _thump, _a witch appears, her salt-and-pepper hair coiffed in its usual, impeccable chignon.

"Why must you insist on telling the children the same old tales when they have so much more to learn?"

"Isn't that what _you're _here for?" the Seer mutters under her breath.

The witch's sharp eyes slant as she glares at the Seer, reminding the latter that their difference in standing outweighs their similarity in age. "I beg your pardon?" she demands, menacing.

"My apologies, High Mage," the Seer whispers, bowing her head in reverence. "But the children love listening to the Great Legend. They ask me to narrate the story every No-Moon at moonset; it's practically a ritual, at this point."

The High Mage scoffs, but now that her face is illuminated by the muted light from the orbs floating just above, the Seer can see that it is only her tone of voice that is stern, not her expression. The witch has a half-smile on her face that is almost wistful, and the Seer allows her magic to branch out and catches a passing glimpse of nostalgia from the High Mage's memories.

It is one from her childhood, whilst she listens to the Great Legend with the other children, the same awestruck expression on her face that Sybill's young audience always wears.

The Seer hides a smile and quickly weaves out of the threads of the High Mage's memory fabric, returning to the present with a melancholic sigh. "Minerva, it is quite late and I must retire for the evening. Is there something of urgency that I may help you with?"

The High Mage turns so she stands against the light, and the shadows cast over her face are as dark as her glowing eyes are bright. "The Head Warlock has asked me to warn you…" she trails off, a hint of hesitation in her otherwise sure voice. "What you feared has come to be, Sybill. It is time."

The Seer feels a nonexistent draft pass down her spine, making the hair on the nape of her neck stand on end. "Already?" she whispers. "The last prophecy only just saw fruition."

"It isn't _only just,_ Sybill. It has been a decade already."

"When it comes to the completion of a prophecy, that would be considered far too soon," Sybill argues. "Seers hardly witness the telling of one prophecy in their entire lifetime, let alone _two._"

"Which is why," Minerva says, stepping closer, close enough that the worry in her eyes are now clear, "the Head Warlock has sent me to keep you forewarned."

The Seer draws in a breath through clenched teeth. She knows what this means. Not only is her life force in danger of dwindling very quickly after she witnesses the second prophecy, something her human body is not built to handle, but her Soul Seed may also be in danger of being unable to return to the River of Life for going against the natural order.

"Sybill—"

"I know," the Seer interjects. She nods, determined. "Tell the Head Warlock that I am prepared for whatever fate befalls me. However…" she pauses as she tries to gauge what guise the witch before her has on: that of her friend, Minerva, or the High Mage. When Minerva's eyes glow dully, full of sadness, Sybill knows. "However, I want you—no, I _need _you to promise me something."

Minerva falters as the meaning behind the Seer's words sink in. "You know I cannot do that, Sybill. Something like a Blood Oath—a High Mage cannot make an Unbreakable Vow with anybody but another of the same magical prowess, or it will disrupt the natural order."

Sybill's smile was wry. "Isn't it too late for that already?"

After a long, pensive moment, Minerva nods. "Alright. But not just yet. It will attract unwanted attention if such powerful magic is invoked for seemingly no reason. When the time is right, I shall do what you ask of me."

"Very well, then." The Seer weaves a leaf using her magic, the dancing strands glimmering in the darkness, and holds it at arm's length. "When this leaf turns to ash, you will be Disapparated to where I die. You must collect my Soul Seed and cleanse it so that I may return from whence I came." When Minerva hesitates, Sybill thrusts the leaf into her hands. "You _must_ do this for me, Minerva. I can only ask this of you. We _must _protect the natural order at all costs. A Soul Seed not returning to the River to await its rebirth will do more harm than good."

"Of course," Minerva, nay, the High Mage, says at once, regaining her former composure. "The natural order must be protected." She nods. "At all costs."

The Seer smiles. "Good. Now go. And tell the Head Warlock that I await his summons."

The High Mage slips into the shadows once again, and just as the Seer thinks she has left, cat-like eyes flash and a whisper echoes through Sybill's ears. "See safe, my friend."

Sybill closes her eyes and swallows down the overbearing sense of foreboding. She must do this. It is her Purpose, after all.

* * *

_.i._

James awakes to the sound of a woman screaming. Quick as a flash, he is out of his room and in the quadrangle, magic pulsating in the palm of his hand as his eyes adjust to the sudden onslaught of brightness from the morning sun.

He frowns in confusion at the sighs he sees: his mother, on her knees, with his brothers surrounding her. But there is someone else—a girl, looking to be around his age, lying unconscious with her head in his mother's lap.

"What's happened?" James asks as he draws closer, dropping his hand to his side, his magic dissipating with a _whoosh. _"Who is she?"

"And more importantly, where has she come from?" his oldest brother, Remus, asks, looking the most wary. "She couldn't have possibly crossed the River."

"Hah! As if," his second brother, Sirius, scoffs. "It is impossible to cross the River, and I say this after having failed a hundred times myself!"

"A hundred and one," his third brother, Peter, clarifies. "But I'm inclined to agree with Sirius—she couldn't have come from the City."

"Then the only other place she could've come from is the Otherlands or the Murky Mountains," Remus muses.

They fall silent as everyone deliberates this, the quiet only broken by their mother's ministrations. After a moment, she looks up and says, "James, bring me a washcloth and some warm water. Remus, help me carry her inside. Sirius, find your father at once. And Peter, fortify the perimeter. We don't need any prying eyes discovering traces of our visitor before we know more."

"Is it really the best idea to bring this strange girl that appeared out of seemingly nowhere into our house?" Remus asks as James rushes back inside to do as his mother has instructed.

Once he has procured a clean washcloth and filled a pail with warm water, James returns to where his mother and brother have situated the strange girl. He stands beside his brother as they watch their mother clean the girl's badly cut and bruised skin.

She is done soon enough, and she steps away with a sigh. "This poor child. Whatever happened to her, I wonder."

"Hopefully not whatever will happen to _us _when she awakes," Remus says drily.

"Oh, hush. She can hardly do us any harm, Mundane that she is," their mother says, dismissive.

The brothers share a look of surprise before turning back to their mother.

"She's a Mundane?" James asks.

"Are you certain?" Remus adds.

Their mother rolls her eyes, seeming to be exasperated with her sons. "When you've been a Keeper for as long as I have, these things come as easily to you as being able to tell when someone is lying or sensing a creature's magic as it traipses across the Grasslands."

"Neither of those things is easy; that is a _terrible_ analogy," Remus argues, but their mother doesn't seem inclined to explain herself further.

"But," James interjects, "if she's Mundane, how did she cross not only the Threshold but also the Farm's perimeter?" When both his mother and brother stare at him wide-eyed, he frowns. "What?"

"That… is a very valid question," his mother says, placing a palm a few inches from the girl's face. Her eyes glow for a moment, and the air around her hand seems to distort. "She has a very strong wall around her mind. I'm unable to penetrate into her thoughts."

"That is no ordinary Mundane," Remus says, shaking his head. "And she's most definitely bad news, Mum."

Two cracks of Apparition are heard just then, and Sirius announces, "Dad's here!"

"What was Peter doing fortifying the perimeter?" their father asks as he ducks into the house. He pauses as he spots the unconscious, red-haired girl. "And when did we have another child?"

A collective groan follows, broken only by their mother's laughter at their father's feeble attempt at humour, and Sirius joins James and Remus as their father goes around to the other side of the bed, opposite their mother.

"Mundane," their father murmurs as he studies the girl. Then his brows furrow. "No, she's not quite right."

"What do you mean, _not quite right_?" Remus demands.

"Remus, go help your brother outside," their mother says dismissively, perhaps irritated by his constant nagging.

"But—"

"_Now, _please."

Remus stalks out, grumbling to himself, and Sirius steps closer to James. "Wanna bet that she's one of the City's experiments that managed to escape?"

"I thought you said it's impossible to cross the River," James replies, unwilling to engage in his brother's hobby of conspiring theories.

"Not if she managed to slip on board the Voyager."

That piques James' interest, and he turns to stare at his brother wide-eyed. "Last week was the No-Moon!"

Sirius winks, grinning. "Exactly. It's the only time anybody can traverse the River."

"But the Voyager has the highest security besides the Ministry," James argues. "It's just as impossible to get on board the Voyager as it is to cross the River on any other day of the month."

Sirius scoffs. "You're telling me." His expression grows sombre. "But, I've only ever tried getting _into _the City. I wouldn't know if it were just as hard to get _out _of it."

James mulls over that. "But, if it were that easy, wouldn't people be coming over from the City all the time?"

"They probably are, and we just don't know," Sirius says with a shrug.

James nods. "Because of the protective enchantments surrounding the Farm."

"Exactly. The perimeter keeps _them _out and _us _in."

"Alright, that's quite enough of that, boys." Their mother looks up, her eyes growing dark with worry. "Go see what's taking your brothers so long."

"Seriously, Mum, at least find another way to get rid of us," Sirius mutters but leaves the room anyway.

James pauses to take another look at the girl. Ever since he laid eyes on her, he seemed to be drawn to her, but he was unsure about why. He catches his mother's eye, and she smiles. "Flea, do you want to go finish up outside?" she says to his father.

His father nods without argument and exits the room, leaving James and his mother alone with the girl. His mother motions for him to come closer. As he comes to stand beside her, she waves a hand over the girl.

"What do you see, James?"

He eyes the unconscious girl that lays absolutely still—a little _too _still. She looks like she hasn't eaten in days, the freckles spattered across her hollow cheeks and the bags under her eyes standing in stark contrast against her pale skin. Her hair is a fiery crimson, an unusual colour that stands out, and there is just something about her that is unnerving, but James can't quite put his finger on it. Although the cuts and bruises have been healed by his parents, the marks are still visible.

"Her hands," James murmurs, squinting at the perfectly smooth skin of her palms. "They're unmarked." He leans forward to unfurl her fingers to get a better look and feels her twitch, further confirming his previous suspicion. "Her fingers, too. They're just as smooth as the rest of her palm. How?"

"She could be a Scavenger," his mother says. James doesn't take his eyes off the girl as his mother continues to speak, and is almost certain she's listening to their conversation. "This is characteristic of their tribe. They're Mundanes from the Murky Mountains that live off of thievery and scraps," his mother continues. "But because of the nature of the magic they possess, which can absorb other magic through touch, the skin on their palms are creaseless."

The Potter matriarch points at the space before her, and a hologram of the map of the land glitters into place.

Right in the centre is a shimmering blue oval—the River of Life—and within it, the prosperous City of the Dwellers. Surrounding it on all sides for a few miles are the green Grasslands, the land of the Keepers. On the left is a long, jagged necklace of gruesome mountain ranges covered by stormy skies—the Murky Mountains of the Mundanes, the Dwarves, and the Dragons—and to the right, where the Grasslands fade into dessert, is the Otherlands, the mysterious territory that poses a constant threat to the City.

"The Scavengers approached the River right after its creation, when it was yet to fully gain control of its sentience, and tricked it into sharing some of the Water of Life with them. They then continued to steal the Water until the River realised their treachery and raged against them. Due to consuming the Water of Life, the Scavengers gained the ability to steal magic from any magical creature or enchantment, and they used this to their advantage to establish themselves as one of the three big tribes of the Mountains."

James wonders why his mother is telling him all of this; he already knows it. But when he notices the way the muscles in the girl's arms and legs are tensed, he realises that his mother is trying to elicit a reaction from her to see if she really is unconscious.

"Do you think that's how she crossed into the Threshold and the Farm's perimeter?" James asks, playing along. "She absorbed the protective enchantments' magic and weakened them so she could enter?"

"Looks like it."

They turn to see his father return, looking sombre. "She did quite a number on it, too. If we hadn't found that gaping hole soon enough, Merlin knows what kind of creatures could have slipped through. The Grasslands house more than just us Keepers, after all."

"We know you're awake, love," his mother says gently, her glowing eyes focused on the girl. "We mean no harm, so you don't have to pretend to be unconscious anymore."

For a few seconds, nothing happens. Then, piercing green eyes the colour of emeralds open and survey the three people in the room.

"So, you're the Keepers," the redhead says calmly.

James' parents smile. "Yes. You found us," his father replies.

"What does he mean?" Peter asks from behind James, startling him. "She was looking for us?"

James shrugs. His parents, being the only surviving Keepers of the Land, have much more powerful magic at their disposal. They could use it to not only read emotions and make near-accurate guesses regarding the motives and agendas of those they meet but also sense whoever or whatever enter and exit the Threshold of the Grasslands, which only magical beasts were allowed to pass through freely. Whereas James, still being underage, can only harness his magic in its pure, elemental form—its least powerful form.

"Tell us, child—what is your name?" his father asks, and at the end of his question was an unsaid warning: _We will know if you're lying. _

The girl seems to understand this as well and says, "Lily. Lily Evans."

"Well, Miss Evans," James' mother says. "I'm Euphemia, and this is my husband, Fleamont. And over there are our four sons. We are the Potters, the Keepers of this land."

Lily looks from one person to another and then crosses her arms. "You're lying. Those three aren't your sons."

James' parents seem as surprised by what she said as he is, but the most surprised of all seems to be Lily herself. She clutches her head, looking confused.

"Your magic," she says, straining. "It's overwhelming. I ingested too much of it when I passed through the protective enchantments and am unable to regurgitate it in its truest form."

"You can… imitate the magic you steal?" Remus asks.

"We think of it more as _borrowing,_" Lily says.

"Doesn't make it any less worse, you little thief," Sirius counters, causing Lily to flush in anger, her cheeks turning as red as her hair.

"Now, now, boys," their mother says. "Be nice to our guest."

"Why are the sons of the other Keeper families living here, pretending to be your sons?" Lily demands, using the truth-seeking abilities of the Keepers' magic she ingested. "Shouldn't they be guarding the north, south, and west perimeters?"

"Just because you stole the Keepers' powers doesn't give you the right to use them as your own," Sirius hisses, his own magic simmering around him. "Give it back, you damned brat!"

"Alright, lads. It's time we go on our usual rounds," their father cut in with a smile. "Mia, darling, will you call me if you need me?"

"Of course," their mother says, calm.

"Alright, then. Off we go!"

There is some resistance, but none of the brothers dares argue with their father, so they follow him out the door.

As they are leaving, Lily throws up all over the floor and promptly passes out.

* * *

_.ii. _

"She keeps staring at me," James whispers to Peter during dinner that evening.

"Maybe because you keep staring at her," Peter responds idly.

"But that's because _she _keeps staring at _me_," James insists.

Peter only snorts in amusements and returns his focus to his mash. James sighs in frustration and pushes around his peas.

"What's the matter, love?" their mother asks. "Is it not to your liking?"

"I'm just not hungry," James mumbles. When he catches Lily staring at him again, refusing to look away even when their eyes meet, he scrapes his chair back and stands. "I'll be excusing myself first, sorry."

His parents exchange looks but permit him to leave the table without argument, and James slips out through the back door, walking along the back wall until he reaches the fence that connects the house to the barn. He climbs over the bales of hay stacked up against the fence and hops over it, landing with a soft _thump _and then jogging to the barn. Greeting the various creatures housed in the magically reinforced building, he clambers up to the very top, pops open a window, and climbs outside.

Perched atop the barn's roof, if he focuses his magic well enough, he's able to see around for miles, even in the waning light.

"This is beautiful."

James yells out, startled, and stares at the redhead sitting beside him with her knees drawn to her chest and her chin propped atop them. She turns to face him with a small smile, and as the wind picks up and rustles through her long, red hair, for a moment, it looks like the sky is on fire.

"How did you follow me?" he squeaks, his voice high-pitched. "I didn't even hear you!"

"Because I didn't want you to," she says matter-of-factly, as though that's supposed to answer his question. She continues to watch him, unabashed, and he finds himself growing embarrassed.

"Why do you keep staring at me? You've been doing it all evening."

She hums in thought. "Your parents—they must be incredibly strong to be able to not only harness the Keepers' magic at will but also remain sane. I hardly ingested a fraction of it, even threw up a lot of it, and still I'm barely holding onto consciousness."

"Why try to steal magic if you're not strong enough to use it?" James asks.

Lily looks away and doesn't answer, her chin propped atop her hands, her face turned skyward. In the waning twilight, she glows like a newly lit candle's flame: small, yet steadily growing brighter.

"Who _are _you?" James asks her, the desire to know overpowering everything else within him—as though the answer to that question is the only thing that matters in his life.

"I could ask you the same thing," Lily replies, turning her face towards him again, her eyes holding a depth of wisdom that he's unable to comprehend. "Why am I so drawn to you?"

"What do you mean?" he asks, his heart fluttering in his chest.

"I don't know," she says, and he can somehow tell that she isn't lying. "When I ingested the Keepers' magic, it overpowered my own magic—so much so that I almost lost my mind and body to it. In order to regain control of my own magic, I had to engage the Keepers' magic in a fair trade—an equal exchange. So, in exchange for my most recent memories, I was able to regain control of my own magic and also retain some of the Keepers' magic, which helped me get through the Threshold and across the Grasslands, to this place. But now… I don't know why I left home, alone, to travel all this way, and why I feel like you are the key to unlocking all the answers."

James had heard stories from his parents of how the Keepers left a part of themselves in the land when their life force passed on, and how, when the next Keepers accepted the magic, their predecessors guided them and helped them harness its power without succumbing to it. But he never knew that someone would be able to participate in a trade with the embodiment of the magic of the previous generations of Keepers. That was something he would have to ask his parents. Speaking of whom—

"My parents and brother just let you leave by yourself?" James asks Lily.

Lily eyes his house, and her expression turns somewhat sad. "They know why I'm here. But they won't tell me. So, I reckon that means that they don't perceive me to be a threat." She sighs. "I thought that once I woke up, I would be able to trigger my memories to return, but I've failed every time. I suppose it was naive of me to think that it would be so easy when I made the deal."

"So, what? You're just going to stay here?"

She eyes him for a long moment. "James," she says, drawing out the sounds in his name, as though she is trying to trigger a memory right at that moment.

"Why do I feel like—" he cuts himself off, unable to finish the thought.

"Why do I feel like I've waited my entire life to meet you?" she says for him, and they both shake their heads.

"It's strange," he says. "From the moment I saw you, even when my brothers were suspicious of you, I felt a strange sense of comfort around you. Like I've known you all along."

Lily tilts her head, her eyes growing wide and her lips parting, and he can see the gears clicking together in her mind.

"_Yes_," she breathes. "Yes, that's it!" she sounds excited but looks too tired to raise her head from her knees, her eyes hooded.

"What?"

"The Soul Seeds," Lily says, lifting her arm and holding her hand out. James intertwines his fingers with hers without thinking, not feeling the least bit embarrassed. It just feels… _right. _And he can't explain it nor understand it, but he isn't afraid, either.

"The Soul Seeds," he repeats, his thoughts converging with hers. "When one's life force runs out and their Soul Seeds return to the River of Life, they are re-sown and are reborn into this world again." He inhales deeply. "But how can a Scavenger have a Soul Seed? You're neither a Dweller nor a Keeper. You weren't born of the River." He pauses. "Were you?"

She smiles. "Equivalent exchange, Potter," she says. "The very first rule of fair trade." Her eyes flutter shut, and her hand falls from his. "You tell me your secret, and I'll tell you mine," she mumbles.

Her breathing grows deep, and he is surprised that she fell asleep so suddenly, as though she was no longer able to remain awake. He remembers what she said regarding fighting the Keepers' magic to stay conscious and wonders if she'll sleep through another day. He places his palm on the curve of her back, and it glows. A moment later, they've Apparated into the spare bedroom his mother has prepared for her, and he lays her down in bed.

He senses his brothers' presence in the room before he sees them. When he looks out of the corner of his eyes, he sees two silhouettes silently slipping out the door, and he sighs.

Soul Seeds finding each other even after their rebirth—he hadn't believed that to be possible, especially since only the most deeply bonded ones are able to retain the emotions they felt towards the soul they had imprinted on even after the River purifies them. That was until he had caught Remus and Sirius together all those years ago. At first, he could not believe his eyes. But the longer he watched them, the more obvious it became: despite each of their personal tragedies, their souls had managed to find each other again.

When they are together, they emanate a sense of such pure affection and acceptance that it often brings tears to James' eyes. And the thought that he has found someone like that—even if it is in the form of this strange Mundane girl with fiery hair from the Murky Mountains—fills him with a sense of such peace and calm that he feels like he can walk cross the River and succeed.

There is a _click_ in his mind, as though the pieces of the puzzle have finally come together, and, just like that, he has found his Purpose.

* * *

_.iii._

James awakes in a daze and stumbles out of his room. By the time he realises where he is, he is standing at the foot of the mountain of hay bales, staring up at the barn's roof.

In the light of the morning sun, she glows. Her eyes are closed, her head tilted backwards, her hair loose and fluttering in the breeze; the summer dress she wears that his mother fashioned for her complements her gentle curves, and she sits still but is relaxed, a small smile on her face.

Lily looks like she belongs there, atop that roof, soaking in the sunrays, looking like the lost daughter of the land, and James finds himself incredibly moved by the sight of her.

Then she opens her eyes and looks down at him, as though she has known he was there all along, and with one, giant leap, James has landed beside her, the warmth of the tiles pleasant against his bare soles and the rush of air and magic from the jump leaving him winded.

"Good morning," Lily says, and her voice is like birdsong. When she smiles, it is like the sun has risen all over again. The intensity of James' emotions overwhelms him in a way that he is unable to understand, and he finds himself in tears.

Lily is on her feet at once, green eyes full of worry. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," James says, allowing the tears to spill down his cheeks because he feels like they need the release. He smiles. "Nothing at all."

She seems to understand and nods. They sit back down on the roof, the warm tiles comforting him, and Lily asks, "Why do you think I came here?"

James considers that for a moment. "You said you may have come looking for me."

"I may have." He senses her looking at him and turns to meet her gaze. Her eyes are almost brown as her hair falls across her face and the sun filters through the fiery strands. "But why?"

"Have any of your memories returned?" he asks, although he already knows the answer. She shakes her head.

"No."

He leans back onto his elbows and inhales deeply, revelling in the smells of the crisp, summer morning, and lets his thoughts wander. "Tell me your secret," he says after a time. "And I'll tell you mine."

She laughs, and the tinkling sound is like music to his ears. "Do you even have a secret that's big enough to share in order to make it a fair trade?"

"I do." He grins at her. "I found my Purpose—it came to me last evening, after you fell asleep."

Her eyes widen. "Your… Purpose? You mean the directive that the River gives every person at some point in their life that helps the individual realise the reason for their Soul Seed's rebirth?"

James studies her for a moment. "For someone that claims to be a Mundane from the far Mountains, you sure know an awful lot about the River of Life."

Lily looks away. "There are books," she says, "stashed in secret hideaways in the Mountains. They hold the knowledge of all the lands—more than any one tribe or species can gather on their own or ever hope to learn all about—and I happened to stumble upon one such hideaway."

"Did the books also tell you how to cross the River?" James asks.

She frowns at him. "Why would you want to cross the River?"

"To find your memories."

They stare at each other for a long moment, and he can see the myriad of emotions as they flit across her eyes. "You would be willing to do something so dangerous simply to help me regain my memories? Why?"

He looks away and takes in the expanse of the land around them. If he sends out tendrils of his magic to the farthest points of the Farm, he is able to briefly trigger the protective enchantments of the perimeter into revealing the Grasslands beyond to be more than just the green haze they otherwise appear to be. He does so, in order to impress Lily, and smiles with pride when she gasps at the sight.

"My Purpose is to get the two of us across the River and into the City in order to unearth hidden truths. I have a feeling that the memories you traded away hold the key to finding these truths."

"What are these truths?"

He looks at her with raised eyebrows and a smirk. "A secret for a secret. First rule of fair trade."

She laughs. "Alright, then. What do you want to know?"

He repeats his question from the previous evening. "Who _are _you?"

Lily inhales deeply and looks off into the distance, her expression sombre. "I was born into an ordinary Mundane family in a small town at the foot of the Mountains. Or so I was told. I learnt very quickly that I was different from my parents and sister—that I was able to do things they could only imagine doing. Then, one day, a group of people, claiming to be the Scavengers from deep within the Mountains, came to take me away so I could claim my _rightful place _amongst them and so they could teach me how to wield these strange abilities that I had, as was apparently my birthright."

She looks down at her hands, and for a moment, James sees webbed creases form on her palms that are much like the ones on his. They disappear after a moment, and her palms return to being smooth and creaseless. "They taught me all I know—how to borrow magic from anything magical, how to harness its power as my own and recreate it, how to control it so it doesn't overwhelm me—everything. But, there were two things that I grew aware of as the years went by.

"Firstly, Scavengers can only _imitate _or _borrow _magic. They are unable to _create _their own. Secondly, all Scavengers are _born _with this ability, except the first generation that drank from the River of Life and then inherited this power from it."

Lily finally looks at James, and he sees the conflict swirling in her eyes. "But me…" She raises her palm and shapes her fingers like she's holding a cup. From the centre of her palm, a small flame comes to life, and it grows into a fireball the size of a fist, pulsating heat and light like a miniature sun. James gawks at her. He can only form a semi-controlled ball of fire, and he hardly ever manages to hold it in his hand for a few seconds before it burns him.

"I can also create magic of my own apart from borrowing the magic of others. And I was born with the former but was taught the latter."

James shakes his head. "What does that mean?"

Lily closes her fist and the fireball dissipates with a hiss of smoke. "I don't know." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I presume it has something to do with why I left the Mountains and why I journeyed so far."

"And why you were looking for me."

"I don't know if I was," Lily admits with a shrug. "I only think I was because when I saw you for the first time, I felt like you were the one whom I had been waiting a very long time to meet."

"So it could just be coincidence that we ended up meeting," James says, hoping his disappointment isn't obvious.

"Coincidence or not," Lily says, holding up her hand as she had done the previous evening, and James naturally intertwines his fingers with hers without a moment's hesitation. She smiles. "It's clear that we are more than just strangers."

"Are we… Soulmates?"

Lily squeezes his hand. "I think your parents can answer that."

* * *

_.iv._

"_Soulmates?_" Sirius splutters, looking furious. "You and this… this _girl_?"

"Sirius," their mother admonishes, smacking down his arm that was stretched out, pointing an accusing finger at Lily. "Stop it."

"But, Mum, it can't be true, can it?"

Everyone turns to eye the Potter matriarch. She wrings her hands, although she has a smile on her face and is attempting to seem less worried than she actually is.

"Yes, I believe so."

Stunned silence follows her declaration, and then Sirius stands up and leaves the room. Remus glances between them and the doorway and then follows after Sirius.

"I don't understand why he's so angry," James says, exasperated by his brother's reaction. "Aren't he and Remus Soulmates themselves?"

Peter's eyes widen and his complexion grows ashen. "What?" he whispers. "Is that true?"

Their mother sighs, taking her head in her hands, and nods. Peter clenches his fists, looking like he has experienced a great betrayal, and storms out of the room. James and Lily exchange looks of confusion.

"I'm sorry, was that meant to be a secret?" James asks, feeling like he has said something he shouldn't have.

"I wouldn't call it a secret per se," his mother says, offering James a small smile. "But I don't think it was your place to reveal that information, love."

"But," James argues, still confused, "_everyone _has seen them sneaking around for years, now. I just thought we only don't talk about it so as to respect their privacy."

"That may be true, but there's a difference between them sneaking off together and them being Soulmates, James. The former is much less profound than the latter."

"Well… I suppose you're right."

His mother reaches forward and places one hand on James' arm and one on Lily's. "Your brothers are angry because that is their way of expressing their concern," she says to James. Then she smiles at Lily, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You don't know this yet, but what you both have in store for you will be very dangerous."

James frowns. "What do you mean? You're talking as though you've already foreseen—" he stops abruptly, a sudden realisation coming to him. His mouth falls open and his eyes widen as he stares at his mother. She purses her lips ands nods, and her silent reaffirmation only furthers his fear.

"What?" Lily asks, looking between them. "What is it?"

"But—how? It's only been a decade since the previous prophecy saw fruition! How can there be another one already?"

"A… prophecy?" Lily asks, her voice barely above a whisper. "You can't mean…"

A sob escapes his mother's lips and she covers her face with her hands. James and Lily exchange glances. Before either of them can comfort his mother, Sirius bursts into the room, followed by Remus. Peter is nowhere in sight.

"You said it was unlikely that a second prophecy would come forth!" Sirius yells, slamming his hands down on the table. "You said that it even if it did, it would be about the Soulmates that come together under your roof, and we all agreed that it would be for Remus and I!"

"You know as well as I do that I can only hypothesise!" their mother said, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I am no Seer, Sirius. As a Keeper, I am only privy to the information that my predecessors and the River itself deign worthy of me knowing!"

Sirius sinks down into a chair, head in his hands. Remus comes to stand behind him, his face drawn.

"But you've always expected a second prophecy," Remus says. "You even thought it would be about you and Dad, in the beginning."

"I did," their mother admits. "But even after Fleamont and I grew aware that we were Soulmates, no prophecy came to be. And then, Sirius and you came to live under our roof, and when it came to be that you are Soulmates as well, we presumed that the prophecy would definitely be about you, but alas..."

"We were wrong. Nothing happened," Remus says with a sigh. He finally turns to eye Lily. "At least, until _she _arrived."

"This isn't Lily's fault," James says at once in Lily's defence.

"Of course it isn't," Remus agrees. "Something like the telling of a prophecy is under no one's control, not even the River. The River only makes us aware that one shall be witnessed and the circumstances under which it shall be spoken. It doesn't know whom the prophecy will be about or what it will be."

"What are the circumstances under which this prophecy is said to have been witnessed?" Lily asks.

"Unlikely Soulmates that come together against all odds, under the Keepers' protection, shall embark on a perilous journey to restore peace unto the land," James' mother says, as though reciting words from a book.

"It is unlikely that even one pair of Soulmates come together in such close proximity. _Three _is unheard of," Remus says, forlorn.

"Flea had a theory," their mother says, wringing her hands once more. "He believed that Soulmates would continue to come together on the Farm until one pair fulfilled the exact necessities to trigger the telling of the prophecy."

"I thought we did," Sirius says, his voice full of remorse. "_We _are unlikely Soulmates that came together against all odds, under your protection."

Their mother sighs. "Yes, that is what we all thought and prepared ourselves for. But this is out of our control, Sirius. You know that."

There is a sudden change in the air, and everybody straightens as a wave of tremendous magic washes over them.

"Something's wrong," Lily says, but the Potters are already on their feet, muttering spells under their breath, trying to figure out what was happening.

"That was undoubtedly Dad's magic," James says. "Has someone tried to force their way through the Threshold?"

"Impossible," Lily says. "I only got through because I was _allowed _entry; I know that now. And even then, your father was aware of my arrival."

"That… is true," James says, realising that it was impossible for Lily to have made it through not only the Threshold but also the Farm's perimeter without his parents' knowledge or interference. They _were _the Keepers of the Land, after all.

"Nobody's trying to get in," Remus says, straining.

"What do you mean?" James asks.

"Somebody's trying to get _out_," Sirius finishes.

"What? Who would want to get out?"

Sirius grits his teeth and snarls. "A traitor, that's who."

"James," his mother says, hurrying over to them with two rucksacks. She hands one to him and one to Lily. "You must leave. _Now._"

"What?"

"Go to the western stronghold. On foot. Don't use your magic at any cost; it'll attract unwanted attention, and you are not strong enough to defend yourself against the beasts that wander the Grasslands. At least, not yet."

"Mum, what's happening, I don't understand," James says in a rush as his mother ushers them outside.

"Your father will meet you halfway and give you something that will help you get on board the Voyager. Once you're in the City, seek out the High Mage, Minerva. She will help you from there."

"Wait, Mum, nothing you're saying makes any sense! Who was trying to leave? Where's Peter? Why do we have to go all the way to the other side of the Grasslands?"

The sound of thunder is heard, and something comes swooping down towards them. His mother swings her arm in a wide arc above them, and a translucent blue barrier forms as she evokes a powerful, wordless shield charm. Dark energy crashes against the barrier, crackles like electricity, and implodes on itself.

"We're under attack," Lily says, grabbing James' hand. "We have to go."

"But—"

"_Go, _James! And don't turn back!" his mother yells. As she turns to face him and retracts her arm, James knows what's about to happen even before she pushes her elbow forward and a forcefield slams into him and Lily, sending them flying backwards for miles.

When he finally feels solid ground beneath his feet again and looks up, the Farm is nowhere to be seen.

"This way," Lily says, already walking ahead, and James jogs to catch up to her.

"You haven't told me everything about who you really are, have you?" James asks as he spots the enchanted compass needle that hovers a few feet ahead of them, pointing them the right way. Directional magic is complex and difficult to control, yet she had managed to conjure and maintain a compass needle with little to no effort. "And didn't Mum say not to use magic?"

"A secret for a secret, Potter," Lily says. "I've already told you one, and you currently have no information that I want for me to trade another. And your mother told _you _not to use magic, not me. I'm fully capable of defending myself—and you—against magical creatures."

James swears under his breath and moves away from her, only to be zapped by what seems to be a barrier.

"Stay close," Lily says. "The cloaking spell isn't wide enough for you to do as you please."

James groans. "Why do I suddenly detest the fact that you're my Soulmate and that I trust you unconditionally when it's clear that I shouldn't?"

Lily's smile is wry. "Do not fret, James Potter. As long as our Soul Seeds are bound to one another, I won't allow any harm to come your way."

"_You're_ the one I'm most concerned about, though."

Lily laughs, the same, crystal-clear sound that makes James' heart swell, and he decides that he shall trust Lily for now—at least until he is able to sort out all of what has just happened and make sense of things.

Behind them, a storm looms overhead, and the purple lightning that strikes the ground turns everything it touches to ashes.

* * *

**Written for Hogwarts Assignment #7: Transfiguration, ****Task 2: Write about doing something complicated (Throughout the story, someone or the other is doing something complicated)**

**Also written for the Writing Club:**

**\- Disney Challenge, Characters: ****Prince Charming - Alternatively, write about searching for something/someone.**

**\- Book Club: ****Commander Julius Root: (role) someone in a position of power, (action) yelling, (relationship) father/child,**

**\- Showtime: 10. Be Back Soon - (emotion) Worry**

**\- Amber's Attic: 14. ****"Every person you look at, you can see the universe in their eyes, if you're really looking." 5 bonus points**

**\- Em's Emporium: Style: Alt — (time) Write a story told in consecutive order.**

**\- Liza's Lodes: ****Element - Earth - Set a fic in a place you've never written about before.**

**\- Lo's Lowdown: Theme: Partnership**

**\- Em's Emporium: 2. Prompt: (word) Puzzle**

**\- Bex's Basement: 2. (Spell) Protego**

**Also written for the Seasonal Challenge:**

**Days of the year: 30th March: I am in Control Day - Write about someone taking control of a situation**

**Spring: (word) Growing**

**Colours: Tomato Red [I presume that I don't have to use the exact words because the colour exists very obviously throughout the story]**

**Elemental Challenge: (word) Grass**

**Amanda's Challenge: 4. Write about a strong female character.**

**Hufflepuff Prompts: trait - ****Dependable**


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